This week’s Top Ten Tuesday option from That Artsy Reader Girl invites us to share ten random books from our shelves. I am feeling sleepy and lazy (and eventually put the computer down and went to sleep), so instead opted to share ten of the books I have out from the three libraries I have cards at. (Many libraries have reciprocity with nearby communities, and I highly recommend this as a tactic if you spend a lot of time on holds lists.)

1. The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong (I started this from one library and had to return it unfinished. It’s now overdue to a second library system, and I’m hoping to check it out from the first library again before the end of the year.)
2. The Village Library Demon-Hunting Society by C.M. Waggoner (currently reading)
3. Mrs. Claus and the Trouble with Turkeys by Liz Ireland (There are surprisingly few Thanksgiving reads. I’m hoping this one isn’t terrible — or, at least, that it’s good terrible. TBR)
4. The Book of Doors by Gareth Brown (audiobook; currently listening, but parts are highly stressful)
5. How to Have a Killer Time in D.C. by Sam Lunley (audiobook; started but haven’t gotten back to it)
6. The Nightmare before Kissmas by Sara Raasch (finished last week — solid read for Halloween or Christmas, and the sequel has to do with Christmas and St. Patrick’s Day)
7. No Less Strange or Wonderful by A. Kendra Greene (halfway through, but haven’t picked it up in weeks)
8. Falling like Leaves by Misty Wilson (started)
9. Cinder House by Freya Marske (TBR)
10. When the Tides Held the Moon by Venessa Vida Kelley (TBR)

How about you? What do you have out from the library right now? Are you reading those books or ones from your personal collection instead?

Three beautiful things from my past week:

1. Sarah found us a new farm for apples and cider doughnuts this year. It had gorgeous views, tasty apple turnovers, and an astonishing number of woolly bears who clearly had places to be.
2. The rain came after I was home for the night and departed before I wanted to be anywhere the next day.
3. After an emotional last day of coaching for the season, the local pizzeria still had a slice of cheese pizza left for me. (Usually by that time of day, it’s just pepperoni left.)

How about you? What’s been beautiful in your world lately?

This week, That Artsy Reader Girl invites us to contribute a Halloween list of our own choosing for Top Ten Tuesday. I’m going to give you ten books that would be a fun, seasonal read during the next week or so that might not appear on more conventional lists:

1. Tuesday Mooney Talks to Ghosts by Kate Racculia (ghosts, Halloween setting)
2. The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna (witches)
3. Thistlefoot by GennaRose Nethercott (“haunted” house)
4. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (Death narrates)
5. Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor (African witches)
6. Greenglass House by Kate Milford (Christmassy ghosts)
7. The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling (Southern and Scottish witch romances)
8. The Afterlife of Mal Caldera by Nadi Reed Perez (a whole dead community)
9. Under the Whispering Door by T.J. Klune (ghosts, sorta)
10. Carry On by Rainbow Rowell (vampires and witches)

I’m currently reading a seasonal romance and a literary thriller and hope to fit in one more witchy book before next week.

How about you? Do you have anything seasonal in your TBR pile, or do you eschew books of that ilk?

Three beautiful things from my past week:

1. Rudi and I headed to the local nursery and bought pumpkins to turn into jack o’lanterns next week and some plants that appreciate cooler temps to put into the garden. I got the lettuce, herbs, and arugula in the other day, and hopefully I’ll get the rest in over the weekend.

2. I didn’t have quite enough time left to finish my audiobook before the library was going to slurp it back. The other person in the queue for it must have suspended their hold, because it came right back to me, and I was able to listen to the final three chapters almost immediately.

3. My teammates and I lost our game on Monday, but we went out to supper afterwards anyway and got to catch up, which more than made up for it.

How about you? What’s been beautiful in your world lately?

Three beautiful things from my past week:

1. I got to coach the girls’ game on my own on Tuesday, and while I didn’t get the bench players all the time I wanted, I got them all into the game — and we won.

2. We spent the weekend in Connecticut, and in addition to my parents got to see my brother and my dad’s best friends, who are like our uncle and aunt. Also, the replacement base to my dad’s favorite chair arrived the morning we were heading home, so we got to fix that before we left.

3. Susan and I had lunch this week and got to sit outside on a beautiful afternoon and catch up. Since we last saw each other in the spring, her son has started high school, and her husband is taking early retirement from the government. I’ve started my paid coaching gig. We had a lot to catch up on.

How about you? What’s been beautiful in your world lately?

Three beautiful things from my past week:

1. I am killing time between the girls’ game and mine by running errands, so get to see the ginormous full moon rising through the evening sky.

2. Misty hasn’t been able to make it to volleyball since winter, but she finally gets to join us Monday night. We don’t get to catch up much, but it’s so good to get to play with her.

3. John invites us to join him for trivia on Wednesday, and our team ends up winning.

How about you? What’s been beautiful in your world lately?